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(Model..) I J. H. BARNES & J. H. WOOLASTON.

Escutoheon for Locks.

No. 242,861. Patented .lunel4,188l.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Denice.

JOHN H. BARNES AND JOSEPH H. WOOLASTON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNEC- TIOUT,ASSIGNORS TO THE BARNES MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE.

ESCUTCHEON FOR LOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,861, dated June 14,1881.

Application filed February 1'2, 1881. (ModeL) Figure 1, a front oroutside view; Fig. 2, a

rear view Figs. 3 and 4, plate and escutcheon detached; Fig. 5, avertical section.

This invention relates to an improvement in escutcheons for that classof looks or latches commonly called tubular or cylinder looks orlatches, and such as employ a thin flat key.

The escutcheon for this classof locks has heretofore been made with astationary plate to be secured to the door with a central circularopening, intowhich the key-guide is fitted, and so that it may be freelyrotated in its seat in the escutcheonplate, and so as to turn withthekey after the key has been inserted into the tube of the lock.

As usually constructed, the key-guide has been introduced from the backside of the escutoheon-plate, and so that the bearing comes upon thefront of the key-guide. an exposedvertical joint between the key-guideand its plate, and into which joint obstructions are liable to enter andprevent the free turning of the keyguide. Particularlyis this the caseinescutch eons which are frequently cleaned. The cleaning material isunavoidably forced into the joint, so that the free working of thekeyguide is prevented. Again, in such escutcheons there is no limit tothe extent of rotation, and it is frequently so much out of place as tobe diflicult to insert the key.

The object of this invention is to overcome these difficulties; and itconsists in the con-' struction as hereinafter described, andparticularly-recited in the claim.

A is the escutcheon-plate, of substantially the usual form, butconstructed with a central circular opening, a, with aninternally-projectingflan ge, b, fcrmin g an annular shoulder with- Thisleaves in said opening. B, the key-guide, provided with the usuaLflatkey-hole, d, is constructed with an annular flange, e, at its outer endto fit the shoulder formed by the flange b on the plate, as seen in Fig.5. ltis also constructed with an annular groove. f, distantfrom theflange 6 equal to the thickness of the flange b, and into this groove adivided ring, h, is sprung, said ring projecting from the key-guide overthe shoulder 11, as seen in Fig. 5, which secures the keyguide in itsplace. This construction enables the key-guide to be introduced from theoutside of the plate inward,and thus overcome the difficulties from theinside introduction hereinbefore referred to, the joint being protectedfrom the'entran'ce of obstructions to prevent the free working of thekeyg'uide.

To prevent the key-guide from being turned beyond the point required forthe operation of the key, we form a recess, Z, in one side of the flangeb, as seen in Fig. 3, and on the key-guide make a corresponding stud orprojection, n, as seen in Fig. 4, which works in said recess when thekey-guide is turned, tbesaid recess being of such length that the stud nwill strike either end of said recess when it has reached the extreme ofits required movement in that direction.

As shown in the drawings, the construction is for a lock in which thekey turns either to the right or left to draw the bolt. In cases wherethe key turns in but one direction to draw the bolt, one of theshoulders would be placed where the stud would strike it when the holein the key-guide is brought into line with the holein thetube. Innocase, therefore, can the key-guide be turned beyond the limits of therecess 1. The advantage of this stop is still greater in that class oflocks in which the key-hole is eccentric to the escutclieon and tube,because a great difficulty is experienced in that class of escutcheons,in that the keyguide is liable to be inverted, bringing the hole' in thekey-guide into the same plane as the key-hole in the tube, but above orbelow it, as the case may be, in which case the greatest difficulty isexperienced, because the key will but partially enter the keyhole, andthe occasion of the difficulty is not readily observed.

It will be readily understood that, instead of making the recess on theplate and the stud n on the key-guide, the order may be reversed.

In the case of locks in which the key turns only in one direction aspring may be applied to the key-guide, against the force of which thekey-guide will be turned, and so that the reaction of the spring willforce and hold the key-guide back to its place in line with the key-holein the tube.

We do not wish to be understood as broadly claiming securing one part ofa thing to another by means of a divided ring sprung into an annulargroove on one part so as to overlap the other, as such we are aware isnotnew; but

What We do claim is- An escutcheon-plate constructed with a centralopening, combined with a key-guide arranged to rotate in said opening,and constructed to be inserted from the outside inward, its outer edgeoverlapping said plate to 20 form a bearin g thereon, and alsoconstructed With an annular groove at a point inside the plate, adivided ring sprung into said annular groove to form a bearing againstthe inside of the plate, a' stud on the one part and a corre- 25spending recess on the other part, the ends of said recess forming stopsfor said stud to limit, the rotation of the key-guide, substantially asdescribed.

JOHN H. BARNES. JOSEPH H. \VOOLASTON. Witnesses:

THOMAS B. PRIDDY, J. H. SHUMWAY.

